Building Permits
Applying for a deck permit

The process of applying for a deck permit is relatively painless although it does require a little planning.  First you will need to find out who issues building permits in your area and where you need to go to apply for one.  Most cities have their own Building Inspections Departments located within the City Hall building; this is a good place to start.  If you live in a rural area there may be an independent inspector that covers a wide area, a couple of calls to local government offices should point you in the right direction. Many inspection departments have handouts available detailing the requirements for building a deck.  These will provide you with a list of what kind of documents are necessary to obtain a building permit.  You will usually need to submit a completed application, two sets of construction plans, and a site plan showing the location of the deck in relation to the house and property lines.  If you are a contractor the Building Inspections Department will probably ask for a copy of your contractor’s license for their records.